The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-12
INpIANA.s NEW CAPITOL.
An Architects Description of the magnfH-
cent Buflding-A Few Criticisms.

An ArchiteoCs Description OF the magu1h-
cent Buflding-A Few Criticisms.
During recent years other States than our
own have erected what are called State
houses. Connecticut has new white marble
building which was designed by Richard
UPjohn, of New York. The style is Gothic
of no particular period. 1t was designed
under the influence OF a Gothic revival
which took deep root in this country about
twelve years ago, but which has since gone
into decay. Notwithstanding the fact that
it was designed under this Gothic inhu-
ence and by a competent Gothic architect, it
bad to have dome which is antagonistic to
all thoughts or ideas of Gothic architecture.
The Commissioners ordered dome, and the
architect had to put ii on. He placed it
there. The building clearly shows that the
dome and the main structure stand as clearly
apart in the matter of design If they were
separated by distance. The building has a
good site, standing on high piece OF ground
and surrounded by large and beautiful
park. Among architects the building is not
regarded as success but situated as tits
and constructed of white marble and gilded
sparingly on the dome and other features, it
is apt to receive high commentator from
careless observers.
The story of the New York State Capitol
is long one. Its political and business
history are quite complex. AT times it has
been somewhat scandalous. The architect
Mr.. Fuller, who was originally in charge of
the work, was man quite successful in a
business way. though from an architectural
standpoint he would be considered quite
gross by competent critics. 10 designing
the New York State building his Inspiration
was probably drawn from the modern re-
viVal of the French and Italian renaissance.
After the building had reached the second
story q change In architects was made. and
Mr.. Eidlitz, ofNew York, and Mr.. II. I'll. Rich
ardson, of Boston, were selected to finish the
building. MIR. Eidlitz had always been very
refinement good designer, good architect
Mr.. Richardson, who recently died, was
probably the most successful Of American
architects. He was the architect
Of Trinity Church in Boston, q
number of library buildings around
Boston, a courthouse in Springfield, NJ ass,
the city hall at Albany, the courthouse at
Pittsburg, the chamber OF commerce in Gin
cinnati, Marshal Fields new building in
Chicago, and a large number OF public and
private buildings. He was successful in
business because be had great ability as an
artist. Thus it will be seen that the New
York State Capitol fell into the bands of
highly educated and successful architects.
But they made a most miserable failure of
the work, having, as they did, building
which made an attempt at a recognition of
classic forms. They took it where they
found it, in the second story, and completed
it as Romanesque building sometimes
called round-arch Gothic. In the matter of
style IL was about as wide a departure as
could be thought of. Both of these gentle
men were round-arch architects, but they
we're thoroughly well acquainted with classic
forms, and might have taken the building as
it was originally designed, and by refining
the details, have made a splendid, imposing
structure. They carried their ideas of
departure in style from the original
structure throughout the interior wherever
they found it possible. We find Gothic cell
ings, Romanesque columns and revivals of
various Romanesque details throughout the
structure. In detail the result Is quite good.
We find beautiful rooms, elegant mantels,
well-designed doors on the inside. On the
upper part of the building we find carefully
studied holdings, elaborate diaper work and
we!l-studied forms of all kinds. But, con-
sidered as an entirety, it is incongruous and
Disappointing.
Michigan finished house a few years ago.
Mr.. Meyers of Detroit, was the architect. 1t
is crude, fat, unsatisfactory structure. 1t
is the product Of a bold but unedueated de-
sigDer.
The Illinois State Capitol Is not finished
Mr.. Cochrane is the architect. This building
is less pretentious in design than the Michi-
gan building, somewhat more satisfactory in
that respect, though the construction is
faulty.
The Iowa State Capitol is the newest of
the State buildings, with the exception of
our own. 1t is well built, though the de-
sign partakes of the faults of most American
architecture. The designer is not well
schooled. There is a show of crudeness in
the outlines and all of the details of the
building.
The design for the Indiana State Capitol
was selected from among twenty-four plans
submitted in competition by as many archi-
tects. The one selected was no doubt the
best. Some of the competing architects did
not think so. The selection was made in
1873. Mr.. Adolph Sherer was the designer.
He was employed by Mr.. Edwin May, of this
city. Subsequent to the death of this gentle
man he was regularly recognized as the
architect. Mr.. Sherer was a student of the
German school of architecture.
The German architects as a class have
never maintained a high rating among the
architects of the world. "Previous to the
nineteenth century Germany did not pro-
duce single architect of whom even his
compatriots are proud or whose name is
remembered in other countries and not q
building the architecture of which is worthy
OF study" The recent German architure
has, for the most part, been a thoughtless,
mechanical copy of the older forms. The
methods of the modern German schools pro-
duce designers well up In all that IS to be
found in textbooks and well-versed in the
history of architecture. Our State-house is
not a German building. In many respects
it shows the effect of the German school. 1t
has also in it the marks of the French re-
vival renaissance, and there is in il traces of
the new Greek" which is one Of the more
recent French productions. However, the
qualities of the German architecture and the
German schools are conspicuous. We find
at times a studious, mechanical hardness in
its composition which affects one unpleas-
antly.
THE EXTERIOR.
To the exterior of the building, as whole,
there can be no doubt that it is the most
satisfactory in design Of the buildings of its
kind which have recently been constructed.
Few of the United States Government build
ings are so satisfactory. 1t is a scholarly
production. 1t is the work of an educated
architect.
The Tennessee street front is eminently
more SatisfactOrv than the one ON WASHING